Ambassador Alex Van Meeuwen

Ambassador Alex Van Meeuwen is the new Permanent Representative of Belgium to the United Nations Office at Geneva (as of 18 September 2006). He has replaced Ambassador François Roux as Chairman of the Commission.

This is his second appointment to Geneva – between 1990 and 1994 Mr. Van Meeuwen was First Secretary and then Counsellor with the Permanent Mission. Prior to becoming Ambassador in Geneva, Mr. Van Meeuwen was, from 2001, Director-General of Policy at the Foreign Ministry of Belgium.

From 1999 to 2001, he was Deputy Chef de Cabinet of the Vice-Prime Minister, prior to which, from 1997, he was Counsellor with the Permanent Mission of Belgium to the European Union in Brussels.

From 1994 to 1997, Mr. Van Meeuwen was Head of Transatlantic, Ex- Yugoslavia, OSCE and Council of Europe Relations Services in the Central Administration of Belgium. From 1987 to 1990, he was Secretary, then First Secretary with the Permanent Mission to the European Economic Community in Brussels.

Between 1984 and 1987, Mr. Van Meeuwen was Secretary of European Coordination in the Central Administration. In addition to other assignments with the Central Administration, his foreign assignments include postings to Yaoundé, Rotterdam and Madrid.

Mr. Van Meeuwen holds a law degree, and a Masters degree in international relations.